S. Cooper, of which I inclose a copy,* asking for re-enforcements at this point.#

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. B. WOOD,

Colonel, Commanding Post.

[4.]

SPECIAL ORDERS,
ADJT. AND INSP. GENERAL'S OFFICE, Numbers 208.
Richmond, November 6, 1861.

* * * * *

VII. Colonel Scott will immediately proceed with his regiment of Louisiana cavalry to Bowling Green, Ky., and report for duty to General A. S. Johnston, commanding.

* * * *

By command of the Secretary of War:

John WITHERS,
Assistant Adjutant-General.

[4.]

WAR DEPARTMENT, C. S. A.,

Richmond, November 6, 1861.

General L. P. WALKER,

Huntsville, Ala.:

MY DEAR GENERAL: I snatch a moment from the pressure (such as you know it to be) to drop you a line. You must not suppose I intended in the least to interfere with your brigade, or to divert you from your original destination without your consent, but I was suddenly called on by the generals at Manassas for re-enforcements in expectation of a general engagement, and they proposed to arm three regiments with muskets in their hands captured partly at Leesburg. On attempting to order forward some regiments I found that in the common panic existing South on the subject of the enemy's fleet the regiments in the different camps of instruction had been ordered about right and left by the State Governors and local commanders, sent down to the coast, &c. In my extremity, knowing by a dispatch from Judge that his regiment was certainly within my reach, I ordered him up at once, intending to replace his regiment by another for you. I afterward sent you the offer to order you here, which you declined for reasons entirely satisfactory. Subsequently Bragg telegraphed that he had not means to defend Mobile, and asked me to let him order down two regiments to the coast, to be armed with the arms belonging to the sick and absentees from the two commands at Pensacola and Mobile. To this I of course assented, as it is but temporary, and it was deemed better to make this use of the regiments than to leave them idle in camp. Your brigade was formed under your positive conviction that Governor Moore would arm your regiments. In this you have been disappointed. General Johnston has no arms to give you. We have none. Of course we must use the regiments as we best can till somebody can arm them. We have a steamer which left England last month and is hourly expected. If she arrives all our troubles will be at an end for the present, and you shall not be forgotten in the distribution.

Yours, truly,

J. P. BENJAMIN.

P. S.-What a bed of roses have bequeathed me!

[6.]

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*See VOL. IV, p. 520.

#For reply, see Zollicoffer to Wood, VOL. IV, p. 521.

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